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THE PROGRESS 



Civil Service Reform 





THE UNITED STATES. 


By rev. henry LAMBERT, 

Pke-sjdent of the Newton Civil Service Reform Association 

■> ■ 



PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF 
THE NEWTON CIVIL SERVICE REFORM ASSOCIATION. 

18S5. C V 



Addison C. Getchell, Printer^ 6 Pearl St., Boston. 



T' V 'V' 


































THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM 


Civil Service Reform has now become an established fact. 
A i^ood beginning has been made. It is undergoing a fair trial, 
and promises to become permanent. 

This is a result which, but a few years ago, no one conceived 
possible at so early a day ; for, by the great majority of our peo¬ 
ple, Civil Service Reform was not even thought of. The “ Spoils 
System ” had been in operation so long, and had so permeated 
our pohtic^l Jife, that it was commonly regarded~as^a"liafural out¬ 
growth of our democratic institutions ; that it was indeed a neces¬ 
sary feature of our system of government, that the party in 
power should control the public offices, in order that its jDolicy 
might be more effectually carried out. 

A reform which aimed to overthrow this system, and substitute 
for political favoritism the proved fitness of an applicant for office, 
entered upon the contest against the most formidable obstacles, 
and could only hope for success at some very distant day. 

In view of the remarkable results already attained, I have 
thought that it might interest you this evening to give an account 
of the progress of the reform, first noting briefly some of the re¬ 
sults of the system it seeks to supplant, and the character of the 
change it seeks to inRoduce. 

Under our first Ifiv^Presidents, appointments to j^ublic office 
were made ordy of those well fitted for the work they had to do, 
and they were not removed except for sufficient cause. 

A select committee of the House of Representatives in 1868 
reported that from the sources of information accessible, they have 
not learned of a single removal among the class of inferior officers, 
except for cause, from the commencement of the administration 
of President Washington to the accession of President Jackson. 



THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


INTRODUCTION OF THE “ SPOILS SYSTEM.” 

Under his rule a marked change took place. While his pre¬ 
decessor, John Qiiincy Adams, had made but two removals during 
his whole administration, under Jackson, acting upon the theory 
that to the. victors belong the spoils, in ten months nearly two 
thousand removals of all grades were made. 

From that time we have been suffering from the evils natu¬ 
rally incident to a system that fills the public offices to promote 
political ends, rather than to secure wise and economical admin¬ 
istration. 

The public has known but little of the extent to which this 
abuse has been carried in even recent times. ^ In the New York 
Custom House, during the five years preceding the incumbency 
of Collector Arthur, there were sixteen hundred and seventy-eight 
removals, an average of more than one a day, an aggregate nearly 
equal to the removal of every official twice in that time. 

In three years one collector removed eight hundred and thirty 
out of a total of nine hundred and three ; another, five hundred 
and seventy in sixteen months. For a period of six years, more 
than two hundred and thirty in an aggregate of about one thousand, 
or nearly one fourth, were removed every year, not because they 
were inefficient or dishonest, not even because they were of a dif¬ 
ferent political party, but merely to serve the interests of those 
who, for the time being, controlled appointments. 

Their places were filled, of course, b}^ new men, who had 
everything to learn, and were often inefficient or unworthy. 

The experience of Richard Grant White, not a friend, but an 
opponent of the reform, — and therefore his testimony is the more 
valuable, — is instructive upon this point. He says that a vacancy 
had occurred in his office, and five candidates in succession were 
sent to him and speedily rejected, because “not one of them 
knew how to copy and address a letter correctly, how to make a 
simple calculation, and how to behave himself to his superior offi¬ 
cer and to strangers. To excuse himself for sending such men, 
the collector said, if you knew how I am pressed by politicians to 


THE PROGRE.^S OE CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. ^ 

find places, you wouldn’t wonder at my sending you anything 
that goes on two legs.” 

A worse case is this : A woman was named for a place the 
duties of which involved the counting of money. The chief of 
the bureau knew that in the Secretary’s ofiice there were papers 
sliowing that she had been imprisoned for forgery, had betrayed 
to a gang of counterfeiters some detectives, to aid whom she had 
been employed, and had been generally a woman of bad char¬ 
acter. The Secretary’s attention was called to these facts, and 
her appointment objected to ; but though he yielded so far as not 
to insist on her filling the place for which she was at first selected, 
he gave her another, and afterwards promoted her. 

Mr. James, postmaster in New York, says, “I came down 
to my office one night and found six or eight men stowed away 
under the benches dead drunk. I determined to change the 
entire system, and work every man on his merits. My removals 
for drunkenness alone averaged twelve men a month for some 
time.” 

With such officials, naturally the national business was done 
with great inefficiency. One committee in 1877 reported that for 
several years the force employed in the Bureau of Printing and 
Engraving was twice, and sometimes thrice, as large as was 
necessary, and that half the force then employed could be dis¬ 
missed. 

Mr. Dawes quotes an eminent official as saying, that with 
competent men more and better work in his office could be 
accomplished by fifty less clerks than he then had; as it was, he 
must have fifty more. Then the 

~ COST AND LOSS, 

Owing to such inefficient men, were enormous. 

Mr. Schenck, Chairman of the Committee of Ways and 
Means, declared in 1S68 that the loss in the collection of the 
whiskey tax was at least 70 per cent. And the reason he 
assigned was, that inspectors and their subordinates were ap¬ 
pointed for other reasons than their fitness. 


4 


THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


Mr. Rollins, Commissioner of Internal Revenue, in his 
report for 1867, speaks of the losses in his department as “ exten¬ 
sive, alarming and monstrous,” and attributes the result to the 
same cause, and sjDeaks of the Civil Service of that period as 
“worse than that of any other civilized important nation on 
earth.” 

The cost of collecting the revenue in the New York Custom 
House rose from i J per cent under John Qiiincy Adams, to 5J 
per cent under Jackson and Van Buren. 

The Jay Committee reported that the cost of collecting our 
revenue was three times that of France, four times that of Ger¬ 
many, and five times that of England. And should account be 
taken of the losses by peculations, defalcations, whiskey frauds, 
star-route swindles and other forms of rascality, they would 
amount to hundreds of millions. 

In the natural order of evolution, the fruits of the spoils 
system are: eager efforts of “workers’’ to secure the public 
offices, leading to fraud, corruption, subserviency; embittered 
party spirit; places multiplied to satisfy the “claims” of parti¬ 
sans ; the shiftless and incompetent appointed to office; followed 
by inefficiency, waste, loss, rascality, and a general lowering of 
the tone of iDolitical morality. 

> Such are some of the results of a system that fills the public 
offices more with reference to party interests and political opinions 
than to the efficiency of the public servants, or the most wise and 
prudent management of the public business. 


THE MERIT SYSTEM. 

Jefferson’s conception of what he considered essential in a 
public servant is embodied in what we may term his “ short 
catechism : ” “ Is he honest.? Is he capable ? Is he faithful to the 
Constitution.? ” The reform sought to be effected to-day recognizes 
the same fundamental points, and is fitly called the “merit sys¬ 
tem,” because it aims to fill the public offices only with those 
who are well fitted to do their duties. 


THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


5 


This end it seeks to gain by competitive examinations, open 
to all qualified persons ; those who are successful being subjected 
to a period of actual trial in the duties of their office before final 
appointment; consequently they win their positions solely by their 
own merits. 

This method not only secures competent officials, but is also 
a complete antidote to the power of patronage ; for those who 
compete may be of either sex, of any color, from every rank in life, 
from all parts of the country, and of every variety of political and 
religious opinions. And only the few successful among these can 
win places. Evidently, personal favoritism and party influence 
can be of little avail against such adverse conditions. Moreover, 
the merit system, while it annuls patronage and secures compe¬ 
tent public servants, does much to purify the political atmosphere 
generally, by removing the causes of corruption. 

COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS. 

Some have objected to examinations that they ai*e merely 
scholastic tests, and prove nothing as to the practical ability of 
candidates; but they ignore the most important fact, that the 
examination settles nothing, that it only shows whether a man is 
worth trying; and that he must succeed as an actual worker 
before he can be appointed. Is not this the test of tests What 
better one can be devised.^ 

In England, they tried various methods through a period of 
fifty years to free their public offices from the influences of patron¬ 
age, and to secure worthy public servants; and finally adopted 
open competitive examinations as the final and best result of all 
their experience. 

We have the good fortune to be able to profit by their labors, 
and to begin with a method, so far from being a mere experiment, 
that it has been in successful use for over thirty years in filling 
positions in the Indian Empire of England, and in England itself 
since 1870. 


6 


TliE PKOGllltSS OE CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


PASS EXAMINATIONS FIRST INTRODUCED. 

The evils of the spoils system soon became apparent, and 
were denounced by Calhoun, Webster and other public men, as 
tending to the subversion of our institutions ; and a growing sense 
of the necessity of checking them at last induced Congress, in 
1853 to 1S55, to pass acts requiring examinations for admission 
to the departments at Washington. These were merely “ pUss 
examinations,” as they are called. They were conducted by 
some subordinate official^ Every candidate was examined sepa¬ 
rately and privately, without competition, and without any fixed 
rules. And only those selected by persons having political influ¬ 
ence had any chance of teing admitted to examination. And 
examiners were constantly liable to “pass” inferior persons, 
owing to the influences brought to bear upon them by those who 
recommended candidates. 

Although some improvement upon the previous utter want of 
system, these examinations fell far short of the needed effect, and 
for some time little progress was made in reform. 

FIRST CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. 

It was not until 1867 that any important move was made in 
its flivor?^' This was by Mr. Jencks, of Rhode Island, who intro¬ 
duced a bill, made an able report and several speeches in its be¬ 
half. Unfortunately, death soon put an end to his labors and 
deprived the cause of an able advocate. But the seed he had 
sown bore good fruit. Attention was so awakened to the neces¬ 
sity of reform, that President Grant, in his message in 1870, called 
the attention of Congress to it, and that body passed an act in 
March, 1871, which authorized the President to prescribe, for 
admission to the Civil Service, such regulations as would best 
promote its efficiency, and ascertain the fitness of each candidate 
for the position he sought.^ 

For this purpose, it says, he may “ employ suitable persons to 
conduct such inquiries, and may prescribe their duties, and estab- 


THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


7 


lish regulations for the conduct of persons who may receive ap¬ 
pointments in the Civil Service.” 

/ In accordance with this act, President Grant appointed a 
I Civil Service Commission, of which George William Curtis was 
j made chairman, afterwards succeeded by Dorman B. Eaton, and 
' an appropriation of $25,000 was made by Congress to defray its 
, expenses. A like sum was voted next year ; but after that noth¬ 
ing was granted until June, 1SS2, when, instead of $25,000 asked 
/ for by the President, $15,000 was grudgingD appropriated. 

OPEN COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS. 

It is due to Mr. Silas W. Burt, Naval Officer in New York, 
I who had long been greatly interested in the subject of Reform, to 
say that he deserves the credit of having been the first to intro- 
1 duce open competitive examinations. | Before the appointment of 
Grant’s committee, he had held such an examination in his office. 
And when the rules of that committee were made applicable to 
the Treasury offices in New York in 187-2, comprising those of 
the Collector, Naval Officer, Surveyor, Appraiser and Assistant 
Treasurer, each of which had a separate examining board, he 
was chairman of that for Naval Officer. 

The chairmen of these several boards formed a Board of 
Revision and Appeal,” having general charge of the new methods 
in New York, and of this board Mr. Burt was chairman. And 
since then he has shown himself one of the most earnest and effi¬ 
cient workers in the cause of Reform. 

Under Grant’s commission, open competitive examinations 
were introduced in the departments at Washington, and Customs 
.Service at New York, and in part in the New York Postoffice. 

Although this commission labored under many disadvantages 
in trying a new experiment, it was able to make a very satis¬ 
factory report, which was approved by the President and his 
cabinet. 

That report, made in 1874, stated that as a result of the two 
years’ trial, these examinations had given persons of superior 
capacity and character to the service ; had developed more energy 


8 


THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE R?:F 0 RM. 


in the discharge of dut}'; had diminished the pressure from those 
seeking places for favorites and friends ; had relieved the heads of 
departments, to a large extent, from the demands on their time 
made by office-seekers ; had made it easier to dismiss the unwor¬ 
thy, than when the influence of patrons was used to keep them in 
place ; and had diminished the pressure and intrigue to remove 
worthy incumbents in order to give their places to other and 
often inferior men. 

The rules adopted by Grant’s commission were prepared by 
the chairman, Mr. Curtis. They were admirably adapted for 
their purpose, and have served as the basis of similar rules since 
then. The great interest taken by Mr. Curtis at that time, and 
the practical value of his work, entitle him to be regarded as the 
leader of the Reform — a character which he has worthily main¬ 
tained ever since. Other able men took an active part in the 
movement, but the times were not propitious, public sentiment 
did not sustain them, and Congress refused any further appro¬ 
priation, although the President asked for it. As a consequence, 

COxMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS 

Were everywhere suspended, and a return made to “ pass exami- , 
nations.” , And this method continued in use at Washino-ton 
until July, 18S3, after the pa'ssage of the Civil Service Reform 
Act. 

Towards the end of Grant’s administration, owing to tlie 
feeling created by the revelation of great political corruption at 
Washington, a movement began, which, if not in name, was in 
fact, connected with the Civil vService Reform movement. This 
was the formation in Boston of a club of young men for the pur¬ 
pose of nominating Benjamin H. Bristow for the Presidency, on 
account of the stand he had taken against corruption while Secre¬ 
tary of the Treasury. Although it was finally called the “ Bris¬ 
tow Club,” it was debated whether it should not be called the 
Civil Service Reform Club, for it was to promote that reform 
that t desiied the nomination of Bristow. They failed to 
accomplish that, but gave important aid in the election of Hayes. 


THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


9 


President Hayes favored reform of the Civil Service, and 
strongly urged it in his messages to Congress ; yet he did things 
not consistent with his professions, and Congress paid little atten¬ 
tion to his recommendations, and gave him no eftectual aid. But 
we owe it to him that an order was passed in March, 1S79, 
enforcing the use of 


COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS IN THE NEW YORK CUSTOM HOUSE. 

The entire charge of this work was given to ]Mr. Burt by the 
Collector, General Merritt, who said to him, “ If you can rekin¬ 
dle the dead embers of Civil Service Reform you are entitled to 
any fame it may bring.” Mr. Burt prepared a code of rules 
almost identical with those of Mr. Curtis in 1872 ; and, “ in 
order,” he says, “that a favorable public sentiment might be 
aroused, I invited to these examinations prominent men of every 
profession, and particularly clergymen and editors, as teachers of 
the people. No matter how prejudiced against the reform 
methods these visitors were when they came, we never failed to 
convert them by the practical demonstration.” 

The good results of the new system are thus spoken of by 
Mr. Burt: 

“The increase of emulation and efficiency is remarkable. 
So eager are they to improve, that they often learn as much in 
one year as they learned under the old system in six.” And Mr. 
Comstock, Deputy Naval Officer, says, “The improvements in 
consequence of the examinations have astonished us. The new 
svstem has made the officers more manly and efficient, and has 
raised the moral tone of the whole force.” 

In 1880, Postmaster James revived the competitive methods 
in some parts of his office, and has borne his emphatic testimony 
to the o-ood results. The officials upon whom this additional 
labor devolved, received no additional compensation. And when 
the President, desiring that these examinations should be more 
o-eneral and uniform, asked Congress for an appropriation, it was 
refused. 


lO 


THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


]^ut, notwithstanding this, competitive examinations contin¬ 
ued to be held in the New Vork Custom House and Postollice 
until the passage of the Reform. Act of 1883. 

DORMAN B. EATON VISITS ENGLAND. 

Feeling that more light was needed upon the methods and 
progress of reform in other countries, President Hayes had for- 
mallv requested Air. Dorman B. Eaton to visit England for the 
purpose of making such inquiries. Air. Eaton spent several 
months in a careful, thorough examination ; and his report was 
transmitted to Congress in December, 1879, by the President, in 
a message which described it as an elaborate and comprehensive 
history of the whole subject. This report was afterwards em¬ 
bodied in Air. Eaton’s “ Civil Service in Great Britain,” a work 
of exceeding value for the mass of information it contains, and 
for the aid it has afforded us in our efforts for reform. 

For this invaluable service Air. Eaton received no compen¬ 
sation from the Government, not even his personal expenses to 
England having been paid. 

And to Air. Eaton is due, also, the credit of originating 

CIVIL .SERVICE REFORM ASSOCIATIONS. 

He says, “ Aly experience as the successor of A/Ir. Curtis in 
the chairmanship of President Grant’s Civil Service Commission, 
convinced me that a more comprehensive effort and a more en¬ 
lightened public opinion were essential to success. After a care¬ 
ful study of English experience on the subject, twenty-four gen¬ 
tlemen were invited to meet at my house in New York city, in 
Alay, 1877, who then formed the New A^ork Civil Service Reform 
Association, which has since held the leading place in the work 
and advocaev of Reform.” 

A Constitution was adopted. Dr. Bellows was chosen Presi¬ 
dent, and an executive committee appointed, which held meet¬ 
ings at first regularly, and then at intervals; but owing to dif- 
lerences of opinion upon current topics among its members, 
accomplished no practical work. 


THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


1 I 


RE-ORGANIZATION OF THE NEW YORK ASSOCIATION. 

In October, iSSo, the association was re-organized. This 
seems to have been stimulated by letters written to the “ Nation ” a 
short time previously. In August, a correspondent said, “ Our 
reform must be accomplished by agitation ; by a thorough stirring 
up ot the mass of the people in language they can understand ; 
the reformers must come in actual contact with the masses, and 
show up the abuses of our present system in the clearest light. 
We must imitate the Loyal Publication Society of eighteen years 
ago, and among high and low, rich and poor, become earnest 
propagandists. In consequence of the lack of this agitation the 
country is not ripe for reform. 

“ The majority have no definite and accurate idea of it; many 
know it only by name ; many suspect it of being visionary. It 
will never be carried until the people make such a clamor for it 
that the venal press will have to support it, and some party be 
obliged to promise to put it into effect.” This was followed 
quickly by another wn iter, who urged the expediency of an organ¬ 
ization whose basis should be the whole country, with a central 
committee in New York, and auxiliary organizations in all the 
larger centres of population, and which should publish documents 
bearing on the reform. To defray the cost of these an annual mem¬ 
bership fee of $i should be paid. A number of other writers fol¬ 
lowed, heartily approving the proposed plan, and offering various 
sums from $i up to $50, and even $50 a year to promote it. 

Some there were who thought the public interest much over¬ 
rated, and ignorance of the subject still deplorably great. One 
writes, “My association is wholly with the common people, and 
though my political friends all admit the need of improvement in 
political morals, I cannot name three who have any definite idea 
of what is meant by Civil Service Reform, or how the ‘ spoils 
system’ is responsible for our demoralization.” Another says a 
leading reformer discouraged him from taking any part in the 
movement, because the times were not ripe for it. 

Even a leading reformer of to-day, one who has been most 


THE PROGRESS OP' CIVIL SERA'ICE REP'ORM. 


I 3 

active from the very beginning, took the same view, and said he 
should wait until the times seemed more propitious before join¬ 
ing in the new movement. 

Nevertheless, the cause found so much favor, that in October 
the “ Nation” could say, “ We are able to announce as the result 
of all this discussion, that active steps are being taken for a re-or¬ 
ganization of the old Civil Service Reform Association, in the 
direction indicated.” “ A public statement will be made of the 
objects of the association, and of the means by which it pro¬ 
poses to accomjDlish them.” 

A CONSTITUTION ADOPTED. 

On the nth of October, 1880, a meeting was held, and the re¬ 
organization edbeted, with George William Curtis for president. 
A Constitution was adopted, which declared that appointments to 
the minor public offices should be made only of those who, after 
an open competitive examination and a period of probation, had 
proved their fitness for the positions sought; and that removals 
should be made only for sufficient cause, such as dishonesty, neg¬ 
ligence or inefficiency, and never on account of political opinions, 
or for refusal to render party service. 

One essential feature of the association was that it aimed to 
be entirely unpartisan. Its leaders were of both political parties, 
and were alike interested to secure legislation equal in its appli¬ 
cation to all, irrespective of race, color, creed, sex or politics. 

Acting on this broad principle, it soon won adherents. The 
old association numbered but one hundred members. Under the 
new organization they increased the first year to five hundred and 
eighty-three from thirty-three States and Territories. In the 
second year the number rose to twelve hundred and thirty-two, 
and later to over fourteen hundred. 

FORMATION OF OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. 

One great object at which it aimed was the formation of 

other associations, so that in a short time eight were formed,_ 

Brooklyn, Cambridge, Boston, West Newton, Cincinnati, Phila- 



THE PROGRESS OE CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


delphia, Milwaukee and San Ffancisco, —while seven others were 
in t)rocess of formation. 

These associations did much to promote the cause of Reform. 
They brought it more prominently before the public, and were 
an evidence of the growing interest that was excited. By publi¬ 
cations, lectures, discussions, articles in periodicals and news¬ 
papers, they disseminated juster views and abated opposition. 

It was soon thought that a union of the various associations 
in a common league was desirable as a means of promoting 
greater unity of views and giving more weight to their action. 
Therefore a conference was called in August, i88i, at Newport, 
which was well attended, and resulted in the formation of a 
National League, with Mr. Curtis for president, and having its 
headquarters in New York. At the meetings of its executive 
committee every association is represented by a delegate, who 
can act by proxy in case he cannot attend its meetings. 

In June, 1882, a preliminary meeting was held in Boston for 
the purpose of forming a league of the associations in this State ; 
and, shortly after, its organization was effected and a constitution 
adopted. Charles Francis Adams was chosen president. It was 
organized on the same basis as the National League, and has 
been doing the same work in its own sphere. 

The New York Association, after its re-organization, made 
a special work of printing and circulating pamphlets and docu¬ 
ments bearing upon the subject of Reform. In the first seven 
months nearly thirty thousand had been circulated ; during the 
next year over two hundred and thirty thousand ; and in the third 
year the total had risen to over three hundred and fifty thousand, 
besides numerous circulars and blank forms of 2:>etitions to Con¬ 
gress. 

Through its secretary a correspondence was opened with 
influential j^ersons in diflerent parts of the country, and an im¬ 
pulse given to local action and the formation of new associa¬ 
tions. 


4 


THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


SUIT AGAINST GENERAL CURTIS. 

In 1881, through its legal advisers, suit w^as brought against 
General Curtis for levying contributions for political purposes 
u2)on public employes, in violation of the statute of 1876. After 
some delay, the trial resulted in his conviction and a fine of 
$1000. 

This was an important decision, because it showed that the 
law could be enforced, and it strengthened the determination of 
reformers to have it enforced. It has made those attempting to 
exact assessments more cautious in their proceedings. They 
have been compelled to resort to expedients for evading the law ; 
among others, that of asking for contributions as annual dues to 
associations. They have ceased to menace or demand definite 
amounts or a percentage of salaries, and only request “ voluntary 
contributions.” 

It has had a marked effect upon office-holders, in encourag¬ 
ing them to resist such exactions. There is strong testimony 
upon this point, from many heads of important offices, in the 
Second Report of the Civil Service Commission, going to show 
that since the act went into effect in many offices such contribu¬ 
tions had almost entirely ceased. , 

AWAKENING OF THE PUBLIC MIND. 

There had been a decided awakening in the public mind 
since 1S70 in regard to Civil Service Reform. The evils of the 
“spoils system” had become more fully exposed and widely 
known. Wherever the new method had been tried, such good 
effects had followed as fully to vindicate it and prepare the way 
for further progress. Many influential papers had come to openly 
advocate it. Objections had been answered and doubts removed, 
and the true purpose and merits of the new system had become 
better known. Conventions and congresses of churches, cham¬ 
bers of commerce, and other public bodies had declared in its 
favor. State Legislatures had recognized its importance, and 
it entered into the local politics of cities and towns. So strong 





THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


15 


was the evident drift, that political parties could no longer disre¬ 
gard it; and as early as 1876 we find them, prior to Hayes’ elec¬ 
tion, putting into their platforms the sounding platitudes with 
which we have since become so familiar, which were merely 
meant to raise hopes they had no intention of realizing, and to 
indicate a purpose they never intended to accomplish. In plat¬ 
form after platform the opposing parties pledged themselves to 
reform of the Civil Service ; but after election entirely ignored it. 
Presidential candidates urged weighty reasons and their own 
strong convictions in its favor, vet no Civil Service bill could be 
enacted. Public men were slow to put themselves on record 
either in favor of it or against it. In New York city the candi¬ 
dates for Congress were questioned as to their views, and but one 
gave any answer. Candidates for the Speakership of the Plouse 
of Representatives were’ questioned, and but one replied. So 
powerful still was the opposition, that Grant, Hayes, Garfield, 
all advocates of the reform, in succession succumbed to the pres¬ 
sure brought to bear upon them, and did many things quite incon¬ 
sistent with their professions. 

THE MURDER OF GARFIELD. 

vSuch was the general aspect of things when a sudden, very 
unexpected event produced a marked change. The murder of 
President Garfield, a victim to the “ spoils system,” slain by a 
“crank” because he could not get the place he sought, stirred the 
nation as nothing else had stirred it, and awakened it to a clearer 
perception of its inherent evils and dangers. 

- Guiteau, a man of ill-balanced mind, who had foiled in other 
ways to mend his fortunes, fell into the ranks of the office-seek¬ 
ers. Foiled in his efforts to get a place, and crazed by his dis¬ 
appointment, he fancied that the President, a decided advocate of 
reform, was the obstacle that stood in his way. Were he re¬ 
moved, Vice-President Arthur, a stalwart, and little interested in 
reform, would be in the ascendant, and lie might find the office 
he sought. He determined, therefore, to take the life of the 
President. He bought a pistol, and practised shooting at a mark. 


i6 


THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVTCE REFORM. 


that his aim might be certain, and when he thought the time had 
come, he met his victim in the railroad station and there shot 
him. 

For months the wounded President lived in great sulVering. 
For months the country was kept in excitement and uncertainty. 
And when at last the President died, his cruel murder w^as com¬ 
monly looked upon as due to the evil influences of the existing 
system of filling the public ofiices, and some change was loudly 
demanded. Every newspaper in every village in the land took 
up the theme, and multitudes who had never thought of Civil 
Service Reform had it forced on their attention. From this uni¬ 
versal discussion there came forth light — and light is progress. 

Many grew restless under the inaction of both political 
parties. They began to waiver in their allegiance, and were 
ready to welcome any change that woifld promote the cause they 
had at heart. 


REPUBLICAN DF:FEATS. 

In this state of the public mind the unseemly interference of 
the administration in the ejection of Governor in New York in 
1882 led to the defeat of the Republican candidate and the elec¬ 
tion of a Democrat — Grover Cleveland — by the sweepin g ma[bf- 
ify of 192,000. TTiepublic indignation was still further excited 
by the iniTmous circular issued by Mr. Hubbell, acting for the 
Republican party, demanding, notwithstanding the recent con¬ 
viction of General Curtis, contributions from all office-holders, 
down to the pages, porters and scrub-women of the departments. 

The consternation of the Republican party caused by the 
defeat in New York was deepened by the result of the elections 
in the 5th and 9th Districts of Massachusetts. In the former, the 
Independents threw their votes in favor of Mr. Morse, a Demo¬ 
crat, who was elected. In the latter, they put up their own In¬ 
dependent candidate, Theodore Lyman, whose stainless reputa¬ 
tion w;is a guarantee of an upright, honorable course, and he was 
elected b}^ over 2000 majority. 

The candidate for re-election in the 9th District,— Mr. 








THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


17 


Caiuller,— in reply to a letter sent by your president asking his 
views as to Civil Service Reform, had replied that he was in favor 
of a radical reform of the Civil Service ; ” but, in different 
ways, his conduct was so little in keeping with his professions, 
that the friends of reform, bent on being represented by one on 
whom they could more safch' rely, put up their own candidate 
with the result stated. 

And this defeat was eflected against very great obstacles. 
Mr. Candler was serving his first term, and, according to party 
usage, was entitled, unless serious objections existed, to a second 
term, lie was,'therefore, the regular nominee of the Republican 
party, and he had the support of the party organization. The 
nominating convention was called by his friends at an unusual 
time, that he might have the advantage of being early in the field, 
and they tried, but without success, to have his nomination made 
unanimous. And how far the press was enlisted in his behalf, 
appears from this: As the character and objects of the new 
movement were commonly misrepresented, your president wrote 
a brief statement defining its true aims and character, and sent it 
to every one of the thirty-three newsp.apers published in the dis¬ 
trict, with a request that, as a matter of simple fairness, they 
would give it a place in their columns. Out of them all, but one 
ventured to publish it; and one offered to publish it if paid for 
as an advertisement! When first elected, Mr. Candler’s majority 
was nearly 6000, and his friends counted on his re-election by 
^000 majority. Although Mr. Lyman was also nominated by the 
Democrats, he was by many of them thought to be too strongly 
Republican, and by others as too aristocratic, so that many of 
their votes were cast for Mr. Candler. This was the first contest 
that had been entered upon squarely on the Civil Service issue. 
The defeated candidate owed his defeat almost solely to his short¬ 
comings in behalf of reform. 

o 

It is only due to our association to say that the credit of this 
first distinct victory for Civil Service Reform is due in a great 
degree to us. The movement began with and was carried on 
mainly by us, until success crowned our efforts, and the first 
Independent member was sent to Congress. 


iS 


THE PROGRESS OF CI\TL SER\TCE REFORM. 


EFFECT OF REPUREICAN DEFEATS. 

The effect of these defeats in New York and Massachusetts 
was very marked and widespread. The eyes of Republican 
Congressmen became fully opened to the fact that they could no 
longer play fast and loose with Civil Service Reform, but must 
do something to save the party from ruin. 

The effect upon the next Congress is well described by Mr. 
Curtis : “It was universally conceded that whatever else the re¬ 
sult [of the election] might mean, it was a clear and decisive 
demand of the country for Civil Service Reform. The response 
of Congress was immediate, and never was the flexibility of a 
popular system more signally displayed.” 

He then goes on to detail how bills were presented day after 
day in both houses, until by a vote in the House of one hundred 
and fifty-five 3 eas to forty-seven nays, eighty-seven not voting, 
the Pendleton bill was passed. “ The House,” he continued, 
“ which was so eager to make the bill a law that it would not 
tolerate debate, and loudly cheered the proposal of an immediate 
vote, was the same house that, five months before, had derisively" 
and angrily refused to give a paltry sum and to aid a single ex¬ 
periment of reform. Members who could not laugh loud enough 
at the ridiculous whim of transacting the i:)ublic business upon 
business principles, now tumbled over each other in their breath¬ 
less haste to make that whim the national policy. 'From the 
moment that Congress met, this question had taken precedence 
of all others. As Mr. Willis truly said, ‘ Bill had followed bill, 
resolution had crowded on resolution,’ and Congress did not 
pause until the duty which it felt to be the most imperative was 
performed. The ‘ Congressional Record’ of December 5 [1882] 
records the meeting of Congress. The ‘ Record ’ of Januarv S 
[1883] records the passage of the Pendleton bill. * I have told the 
story in detail, for I know no more amusing'and significant story 
in the histoiy of American politics.” 




THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


19 


THE PENDLETON RILL. 

The bill that goes by Mr. Pendleton’s name was really 
drawn by Mr. Eaton. IMr. Pendleton had framed one modelled 
after the Jencks bill; but, seeing the superiority of Mr. Eaton’s, 
he magnanimously withdrew his own and adopted his. The 
Pendleton bill may almost be regarded as a new “Bill of Rights,” 
for it restores to the people at large, through open competitive 
examinations, a right of which they had been deprived by the 
insidious workings of the spoils system ; the right of every citi¬ 
zen, irrespective of race, color, politics, religion or sex, to equal 
opportunity of entering the public service, without having to de¬ 
pend on the patronage or favor of any one, but solely on the 
ground of proved fitness for the place sought. And in doing this, 
it establishes a true democratic principle, which confers upon the 
working classes a distinct personal advantage in addition to the 
good the nation will derive from a purer and better public ser¬ 
vice. 


REFORM IN THE STATES. 

The action of Congress had a speedy effect upon State 
Legislatures and cities. In New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, 
bills and resolutions in favor of Reform were introduced. In 
Ohio, no action resulted. In Pennsylvania, the bill was defeated, 
but another prohibiting assessments was passed. New York de- 
seiwes the credit of being the first State to pass a Civil Service 
Reform bill. This is the more noteworthy, because in New 
York, nearly a century ago, the “ sj^oils system” had its origin, 
and there it had received its worst development. Yet, in this 
hot-bed of corruption, where it would least have been expected, 
was the first determined, successful effort made in behalf of Re¬ 
form. And it is also worthy of note, that this was done by a 
Democratic Legislature and a Democratic Governor, and by the 
remarkable majority in the House of ninety to three. 

This result was of most cheering augury, for if New York 
could be won, success was clearly possible anywhere else. 



20 


THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


The bill to apply the reform to the State and its cities was 
the first of its kind, and, therefore, experimental in its nature. It 
was drawn with great caution lest, if its provisions were too 
sweeping, it should be defeated. They therefore limited its 
application to cities of fifty thousand or more inhabitants, and 
left it optional with them to apply it or not; and they exempted 
from its operation the departments of Police, Health, Fire, Edu¬ 
cation and Law. These sweeping exceptions show how much 
there was to contend with, and how easy to create an opposition 
til at might prove fatal. 

The city of Brooklyn soon followed the example of New 
York, and steps were taken to introduce the reform in Bufialo 
and Rochester. 

But so satisfactory did the new system prove, and such was 
the advance in public sentiment, that within a year a new law 
was passed, making the reform imperative upon all the cities of 
the State, and including in its scope all the departments which 
previously were exemjit. And a stringent bill forbidding politi¬ 
cal assessments also was passed. 

This Mr. Curtis describes as a prodigious achievement, due 
in great measure to the influence of the associations in enlighten¬ 
ing public opinion. 

MOVEMENT IN MASSACHUSETTS. 

At a meeting of the Massachusetts League, in July, 1883, it 
was resolved that a committee of five should be appointed to 
report what specific legislation they would advise for introducing 
the reform in this State and its cities. Your president, as chair¬ 
man of the executive committee, nominated Moorfield Story, 
Leverett Saltonstall, Charles Theodore Russell, Richard 11 . Dana 
and Josiah Qiiincy. 

After some months of deliberation and consultation with 
leaders of the reform in New York, these gentlemen prepared a 
bill which, with some amendments and after prolonged discus¬ 
sion, was passed by the Legislature. 




the progress of civil service reform. 


2 


A very important feature of this bill is the provision that the 
class'of laborers in cities shall be brought under its operation. 

To eflect this had been regarded as one of the most difficult 
problems connected with the new system. It was seen clearly 
enough that no reform which aimed to free the administration of 
States and cities from political influences, could be complete while 
the class of laborers, so numerous, so dependent, and, conse¬ 
quently, so liable to be influenced by political schemers, was left 
beyond its reach ; but, from the difficulty of devising an eflective 
plan, nothing previously had been attempted. Massachusetts 
tlierefore deserves the honor of being the first to take this impor¬ 
tant step. And the credit is due mainly to the associations of 
the State, which have labored so faitlifully and diligently in 
enlightening the public mind and awakening public interest. 

STATE OF THE REFORM TO-DAY. 

The status of the reform to-day may be briefly summed up 
thus : 

Under the Act of Congress of 1883, a Civil Service Commis¬ 
sion was appointed, with Mr. Dorman B. Eaton as chairman. 
The duties of this commission have been arduous. It has had to 
frame rules and devise expedients for applying the new system 
on a very extensive scale to interpret laws and rules ; answer in¬ 
quiries ; give instructions on many points to those entrusted with 
carrying out the details of the system ; and keep up an extensive 
correspondence. In its own words, the commission “ entered 
upon no highway, but has had to make its road as it advanced.” 

And yet its work in the first six months was so satisfactory 
as to call for the decided approval of the President and every 
member of the Cabinet, and of the collectors and postmasters in 
all tlie most important cities. 

The President said, “ The good results foreshadowed had 
been fully realized. The system had fully answered the expecta¬ 
tions of its friends in securing competent and faithful public serv¬ 
ants, and protecting the appointing officers from the pressure of 
person a 1 i m po rtu n i ty, ” 




THE PROGRESS OP' CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. 


And in June last a select committee of eight Democrats and 
five Republicans, to which two bills to repeal the Civil Service 
Act were referred, reported that great good had been accom¬ 
plished iif many directions by the Civil Service Commission ; that 
they were entirely satisfied with its thorough, conscientious and 
non-partisan work ; — and believed that “ its continuance will aid 
to a great degree in eradicating the prevalent evils of the Civil Ser¬ 
vice,” and they unanimously recommend an adverse report upon 
the proposed bills. 

The second report of the commission goes to confirm the 
favorable views previously expressed concerning it. The heads 
of departments, collectors, naval officers, ajDpraisers, supervis¬ 
ors, surveyors and postmasters, all bear testimony to the good 
results following the new system. It has been put in operation 
all over the country. During the last year examinations have 
been held in all the States, except Oregon and Nevada, and in 
some of the more populous States in from three to six different 
places. The total number of examinations has been one hundred 
and sixty-two. The number of persons examined has been sixty- 
three hundred and forty-seven ; fifty-five hundred and twenty-five 
males, eight hundred and twenty-two females. Of these, forty- 
one hundred and forty-one, or 65 per cent of the whole, proved 
eligible for appointment. More than 70 per cent had had only a 
common-school education, and the average age was nearly thirty 
years. And as these examinations are freely open to all per¬ 
sons, and as the two great political parties are nearly equal in 
numbers, the Commissioners conclude that it is only a reasonable 
inference, that about nine hundred Republicans, and as many 
Democrats, have secured places in the public service during the 
past year, under the operation of the Civil Service Act. 

It has become operative over about fifteen thousand of the 
public offices of the United States, and it can be applied more 
widely whenever the President so orders. It has been adopted 
by the States of New York and Massachusetts, and bills favorino- 
its introduction have been pending in Pennsylvania, Maryland, 
Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri and California, and are 




THE PROGRESS OF Cl VIE SERVICE REFORM. 


23 


proposed in Connecticut and New Jersey. Twenty-five cities in 
New York, with a population of two and one half millions, and 
twenty-three in Massachusetts, comprising more than half its 
population, are now brought under its rules. About seventy 
associations are in existence, several of which issue publications, 
some of which are periodical, so that thousands of documents are 
issued monthly. Stringent laws have been passed against polit¬ 
ical assessments by Congress, New York, Massachusetts and 
Pennsylvania, and are pending in other States. And, where in 
some cases they have been defeated, it has been owing more to 
some objection as to details, rather than to the principle involved. 

In little over four years all this has been accomplished, — a 
result far beyond the expectations of the most sanguine when the 
movement began. And what argues still better for the future, is 
that the great majority of intelligent, right-minded people, have 
come to regard Civil Service Reform as essential to the purity and 
wise administration of our Government. Alreadv officials are 
exercising greater caution in making appointments and removals 
where the strict letter of the law does not apply ; and the public 
scrutinizes with a much more watchful eye the changes that aie 
made. But, much as has been done, much more remains to be 
done. Only a small portion of the one hundred and twenty thou¬ 
sand officials in the service of the United .States is brought under 
the Civil Seiwice rules. And the great majority of our States and 
cities have made no efibrt to introduce them. Still the law exists 
limiting the term of thousands of offices to four years, and needs 
to be repealed. Still the contest against political assessments 
must be waged, until they are wholly put an end to. Every 
extension of the reform is to be regarded as only preparing the 
wav for its wider application, until the time shall have come 
when, with few exceptions, the whole machinery of our Govern¬ 
ment will be carried on unaftected by the change of parties. 

That this is no idle dream the experience of England teaches 
us. There, with a Civil Service as extensive as our own, a 
change of administration affects less than forty officials, who by 



24 


T]IE PROGRESS OF CIV'IL SERVICE REFORM. 


their positions represent and carry out the policy of the dominant 


party. 


The advocates of reform have seen that one ot its chief dan¬ 
gers woidd be encountered when the supremacy passed from one 
political party to the other. For believers in the “ spoils system” 
are still numerous among those who for so many years have 


been deprived of power. The rush for office would naturally be 


very great; and unless the President should prove to be of more 
Spartan firmness and consistency than any of his predecessors of 
late have been, there woidd be great danger that the new system 
would be disregarded, if not overthrown. 

The dreaded ordeal has come. The emergency has been 
nobl}' met. The Rubicon has been fairly passed. 

President Cleveland is proving himself the man for the time 
and the place. 

In his hands Civil Service Reform bids fair to be not only 
well sustained, but to exert more and more a benign influence in 
purifying and elevating our public service. 




4 











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